Mixmaster Shecky wrote:Okay, maybe I don't understand the term 'power pop'. To me, it means catchy, melodic pop songs that are rock/guitar based. Cheap Trick, Sweet, that kind of stuff? Or am I missing it?

Hmm, your description is right, but it's sometimes easier to describe it by listing some of the bands that have been referred to as power pop. Here goes: Big Star, Game Theory, Cheap Trick, Matthew Sweet, Material Issue, the Records, Bram Tchaikovsky, Love Nut, certain Todd Rundgren songs, Jellyfish, the Posies, Fountains Of Wayne, the Cars, I'd count some XTC as power pop, I'd even call Urge Overkill's Saturation album power pop. Definitely some early Who, especially "Pictures Of Lily". "Paperback Writer" is definitely power pop.

Does that help? It's so hard to say what is and isn't power pop. For me, it just doesn't feel right to call Journey power pop.

Mixmaster Shecky wrote:And I admit, I do like me some Rush now and then-shit, back in middle school I actually had to look up words from their lyrics and how many bands can make you do that?.

I loved Rush in high school, thought I have to admit that I read the song "Trees" to be a radical encouragement to cut down the oppressors. It wasn't until I was an adult that I realized Geddy Lee was making fun of liberals.

jaimoe0 wrote:I think that's Neil Peart making fun of liberals. Too much Ayn Rand in his diet. Geddy Lee is just his sexy mouthpiece.

I was supposed to do a book with them last year, which I was pretty excited about, so I bought the documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage as part of my research. It was pretty great, actually. I was surprised at how many lyrics I remembered despite all my efforts in high school. "Subdivisions" truly struck a chord. But, yes, I was deeply disappointed to learn that Peart was an Ayn Rand fan.

miss carol wrote:I was supposed to do a book with them last year, which I was pretty excited about, so I bought the documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage as part of my research. It was pretty great, actually. I was surprised at how many lyrics I remembered despite all my efforts in high school. "Subdivisions" truly struck a chord. But, yes, I was deeply disappointed to learn that Peart was an Ayn Rand fan.

"You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill"

That probably should have tipped me off, right? But half the time I never paid attention to lyrics anyway, other than their pretty rhythm.

I thought it odd that I saw so many Brazilians wearing Rush maple leaf t-shirts while I was working there last fall. Turns out Rush had just played in packed soccer stadiums in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and they have a large and very enthusiastic fan base there.

This is a site for a Brazilian Rush cover band, including an ad for some kind of Rush-Fest promoted by the Rush Fã Clube Brasil: http://www.rushcoverrio.com.br.

Myself, I never got 'em. Dude has a voice like a dog whistle, and the drummer has waaaayyyy too much bullshit in his drumkit. But Brazilians dig 'em. Go figger.

jonas wrote:"You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill"

That probably should have tipped me off, right? But half the time I never paid attention to lyrics anyway, other than their pretty rhythm.

Hey, I'm with you. I only ever read Anthem a few years ago, which was enough for me. (Short enough to give me a taste of Rand's angry and forced writing style. Decidedly not my taste.) Rush lyrics simply embedded themselves via radio and video back in the day, and then it was the "hits." I like the fact that they're literate and made people read. Rush definitely defied stereotypes, which is another thing the doc confirmed.